Lifeblood
by Thoughts of She
Summary: Anna was her sister, her blood. She would do anything to protect her, even kill. Elsanna - Icest


**XxX**

Eight long years of inviable planning and intimations had finally come to a glorious halt all but one day from a full month ago when Elsa received that perfume coated letter gracing her with rejoicing words she almost did not believe with her own eyes. Her sister was, at last, returning to Arendelle, to her home, to her family, to Elsa. The Queen cried that day as she cradled her year old son in her arms; tears of utter joy they were and nothing, not a single thing, had diminished her soaring spirits all these days since. The castle had only witnessed her shine in such a manner when the heir to the Arendelle throne was born, but since, not.

The Queen was, though, a peculiar thing. Quiet, but always the cornerstone of the lively kingdom, even in the most radical of times, she ruled with equanimity and a vibrant strength that extravasated into her people. She was a true ruler loved by all and vowed to teach her son the ways of a great ruler just as her father taught her many years ago. She could only wish her mother and father were there to see their grandchild now and watch him grow into a magnificent king, but they had passed the year before Anna was married off to the Southern Isles boy and Elsa to a prince from the west. It was all necessary, so they were told, and being the obedient children they were raised to be, they followed the wisdom of the council and never saw each other again, but not without promising one another that nothing would get between them and to always keep the other close to their heart.

Letters were the only means of communication between the sisters. Having written twice a month for many months to each other kept the two feeling close even through ink and parchment, but that grew more sparse as the years carried on. The blonde noted a vast difference in the way Anna had first wrote to her in a gleeful fury to fit as much on a single page possible compared to a few years later when months would go by before the older girl would hear back, if Elsa even received a reply at all. The blonde had been crushed thinking her sister had moved past her old life, childish promise, and family back in Arendelle. And when the redhead had grown to the age of thirteen, the letters ceased completely and Elsa had to learn of Anna's marriage to the Southern Isles boy through the grapevine, hurting her deeply before resentment began to settle into her soul.

The days finally dwindling down to where Elsa only wrote the redhead when something vital occured in the kingdom hoping it would awaken the neighboring sister's concern for her homeland. The former time she had written her was when the King, her husband, had passed from a great illness at the young age of twenty five and with that, in a stranger's penmanship, condolences were given to the grieving widow in only a few short sentences.

In a fury, Elsa burned them all. Every last letter she ever kept from the young redhead she once knew.

Anna was no sister of hers any longer. Elsa needed no family to feel love, she was the queen of a kingdom after all. Adored by all her subjects.

Yet, when her son was born less than a year later as beautiful and strong as she, Elsa yearned for nothing more than her family whole once more. So, she wrote her sister in one last, final attempt. Pages and pages were filled with years of shrouded emotion and of her baby boy that stole her heart the moment his little eyes met hers. He was the only other family she had but Anna, and the only other family Anna had but Elsa. So, when Elsa wrote to Anna in one last leap of faith to save their distant relationship, she invited the woman and her husband to return to Arendelle and live as a family once again. That was all she truly wanted, to keep her remaining family close. Though, her doubts were many that her desire would come true.

Impatient days of waiting passed and in six weeks time, Elsa was soon after informed that a parchment had come from the neighboring kingdom and she hurried to read the single paragraph that covered nearly nothing on the page. To her astonishment, the words had been genuinely written by her sister herself, revealing Princess Anna was to be making the journey to Arendelle in one months time; Elsa couldn't contain her euphoria. There was no doubt the rushed strokes of the ink stained feather were of her sister's and on top of that, the scent that lingered on the letter was one their mother adorned her wrists and neck with on special occasions. She was sure that it was from Anna. It had been years since the Queen had seen her writing, but she'd know it anywhere. The redhead's words this time were nothing like the void, impassive feeling Elsa had been receiving for almost half a decade now and she wondered briefly why such a sudden change had occured from all those past years of ostracism. But, what mattered now was that she was coming home to her and Elsa couldn't refrain from reading the woman's letter countless times a day reminding her that each day that passed was one day sooner that she would reunite her family.

 _To my dearest sister, Elsa_

 _Alas, I will be returning to Arendelle with my husband, Prince Hans, in one months time! I cannot wait to hold my baby nephew, Prince Agdar. How I've missed you, my sister, and our kingdom. We have much too many years to catch up on. Wait for me._

 _Love, your sister, Anna_

Wait for me. Those few words rang in the Queen's mind for weeks as she prepared the castle for Anna's return.

And now, the midnight before Anna's set arrival, Elsa cradled her son as she rocked him in her arms under the light of the full moon through the triangular glass window that used to once shine light into their joined room as children. It was now her son's room, but she couldn't bring herself to paint over the vibrant pink walls that reminded her so very much of her sister and of their past when things were simple. Nothing had been the same for nearly a decade since their parents had died, but finally, both woman would be able to get a taste of the past when they were truly happy. And a little taste of the future with her son now in her life.

Elsa could never contain the joy that radiated through her every time she laid eyes on her little boy who gazed up at her with the same arctic blue eyes and pale skin as she. He was beautiful and she was so thankful for his health. Perhaps it was he that was the reason Anna was alas returning to the kingdom. She was sure Anna would return with the news of her husband passing to comfort the Queen, but that had only ended in a flame of parchments and fury. For all the blonde knew, Anna could have lost interest in her years ago and after the pathetic condolences she received months after his death, Elsa nearly lost it. She burned every letter, painting, trashed jewels and rugs. Every gift ever sent to the Queen from the Southern Isles' king had been destroyed. But her memories of her beloved sister did not fade no matter how much she wanted them to. And when her precious son was born and she witnessed life as it was meant to be seen, a miracle, all that hate and venom dissipated from her heart and she poured out the joy that spewed from it onto the letter that Anna herself replied to. She had only wished now she had written it months sooner when he was first born seeing it was now bringing her family together again.

The infant she rocked in her arms was her blessing that brought love back into her life that she thought she had lost all those years ago and would never get back.

Elsa grazed a finger across the delicate cheek of her small prince who's chest rose and fell rhythmically with each quiet breath. "You bring only greatness to my life, my son. You are my life itself." Her words were but a whisper as to not wake him, but she wanted nothing more than to scream them atop her castle to release some of the overwhelming love she felt in her heart that sometimes was just too much. But even then, the feeling would just return, having her back again searching for the tallest peak in her kingdom. And yet, she wished to never have the feeling diminish for never had she been so happy.

Gently, the Queen placed the sleeping child in his crib, not witnessing even a stir, before slipping through the great doors behind her. She thanked Gerda with a nod who waited in the halls for the Queen's exit and the woman smiled back, wishing her majesty a good night before entering the child's room and resting in a chair beside his crib, something she remembered doing for Elsa's parents when she and Anna were born.

Elsa repaired the short distance to her own chambers where she planned to sleep, but knew she would only lie awake and stare at the vaulted ceiling through the transparent canopy that adorned her bed. How could she sleep when in a mere eight hours the sun would be up and a Southern Isles ship would be bringing Anna back home along with the Prince, Hans.

Anna had written to Elsa in her early years away about the boy and the redhead always seemed so smitten with him. For months the younger girl would rave on about his charm and beauty and how one day she was going to be his wife. Elsa tried her hardest to be happy for her sister when jealousy construed her heart seeing as how the blonde would be forced to marry a man she had never met as well, but unlike her sister, Elsa cared nothing for looks and charm, but only love. And when her parents died and her responsibility to the kingdom expanded exponentially, she could only trust in the council to lead her the right direction. They were dead on, as always, with their best intentions for the kingdom and Arendelle gained a fantastic ally in the marriage. But, according to Elsa's heart, nothing could have felt more wrong for the young girl.

Yet, she kept a smile on her face for her people through the wedding, through the years for her husband, and through the mirror for herself. She was born with a responsibility and raised knowing her duty held priority above her happiness. That was the way of her family and never would she let her parents down no matter if they lived to witness her rule or not.

And through her duties as Queen, Elsa and her husband tried for years to have an heir, but to no avail. The castle thought perhaps she was infertile, putting no blame on the man of course, and this put a strain on the already difficult relationship between the two. Well, it was a one sided, hidden difficulty considering the King confessed his love to Elsa many times over the years and Elsa returned his affection, mimicking them in various words and ways but never once honest and true. She could never love him, she knew that, but when he passed she cried deeply for the man knowing he would never be able to witness the child they desired so badly together.

She could only hope Anna did not live the lie she did all those years with a man she could not love.

By the time the sun had risen, Prince Agdar had been up for nearly an hour, sitting on the lap of his sitter playing with a colorful, wooden block. "Hello, sweet boy." Gerda smiled down at the pale reflection of his mother thinking how alike the two were in so many ways. Just like his mother as an infant, he rose before the sun and slept soundly through the night. Not a single cry echoed throughout the halls whilst the castle slept and, thankfully, Gerda was able to let the Queen sleep through the night seeing as how she made it clear she wanted to be woken when the baby cried, but he never did and Gerda never had to wake a grumpy queen in the middle of the night. "Such a good little prince. Why don't we go have some breakfast now, hmm? We'll let Mama sleep a little longer."

And just down the hall, the Queen surprisingly did sleep. Even with all that was happening, somehow her mind put to rest all the scenarios that reeled in her imagination of their first encounter in years and she slept soundly. Perhaps she had been more tired than she had thought.

Some of the fabrications her mind had envisioned before she slept had the sisters in joyous tears, while others were all smiles and tight embraces with what she assumed her sister would now look like from the age of ten. In reality, however, she didn't care much of what her sister looked like now, only that she was there with her again. Though, Elsa couldn't help the little curiosity that made her wonder if her sister had kept the look of Arendelle or strayed to the more extravagant style of the Southern Isles.

She hadn't seen her sister in any of the paintings shipped to the castle from the Southern Isles, but every time one arrived she searched for the redhead only to see a sea of tan, auburn haired men of various ages and sizes, all sophisticated in their appearances. Her disappointment was nearly palpable each time, but in every one she still looked through each face. She could hardly keep up with the family of fifteen before the sons had sons of their own and more and more paintings were sent. Apparently, once an alliance was made, you were stuck as part of the vast family with the Southern Isles, but as many faces that the Queen searched throughout years, there was always one boy she could pinpoint in a heartbeat. Prince Hans.

All the looks her sister gushed over were portrayed in each stroke of the brush that outlined his strong jaw, gentle eyes, and sturdy build. Why his wife was never in any even after Elsa requested it was strange, but then again, the blonde couldn't recall seeing any of the wives in any of the paintings at all.

A knock on her door awoke the milky blonde from her slumber not long after the sun had risen just as she ordered and she sat up in her bed thankful to see it was still early. "Yes?"

A servant's voice came muffled from the other side. "Your Majesty, breakfast will be served shortly. Would you like me to alert you when it is ready?"

"No, thank you. I will be down in a bit." Knowing the servant had left with a silent nod, Elsa waited a few more seconds, making sure the coast was clear, before tossing her cobalt silk sheets from her body and practically jumping from the bed and running to the washroom.

It didn't take her long to seat herself at the table of the dining hall next to her son who had nearly finished his breakfast, though most of it was covering his face. "You're quite the charming mess." Elsa greeted her son with a laugh and a kiss atop his nearly hairless head. The platinum color to his hair gave him the appearance of nearly bald, but Elsa cared nothing of his hair, just his health. But that didn't stop the other dignitaries from pointing out his less than luscious head of hair when seen. She wondered if Anna would think him a spitting image of herself as the castle staff had told her many times. "Your Aunt Anna is going to love you, but remember, you're mine. No running off with her you hear me?" Elsa tapped her son's nose as she giggled at the mashed vegetables on his face.

A teething smile and a coo from Agdar was his reply as he dug his fingers into the bowl of mashed foods and brought his hand up to his mother's face in offering. With squinted eyes and an anxious laugh, Elsa took a dainty finger and scooped some from the bowl herself and showed it to her son before eating it from her own finger. "Mmm, yes, thank you. Very yummy." She made sure her gestures were big along with her smile to convince the young prince she truly ate to her satisfaction. Now, she did love her son more than anything, but that didn't mean she had to eat from his dirty hands too.

Breakfast was quick for the Queen and she kept her eyes glancing out the windows that faced the harbor every chance she could. But the estimated time of arrival for the ship wasn't for another couple hours, so Elsa decided on a quick bath for the both of them would pass the time efficiently. "Gerda." The omnipresent handmaiden came from the kitchens and was instantly by the Queen's side awaiting orders. "Gerda, would you please have someone prepare a bath for me as well as my son and, you, get some rest already. I know you're indestructible but Anna should be arriving in just a of couple hours or so and I want you to be there to greet her if you'd like. You were always her favorite."

With a flattered smile, Gerda nodded to her majesty. "Thank you, sweet child, but you know our little prince likes no one to bathe him but you and I and I'm sure you'd like a relaxing bath alone to calm your nerves. I've seen you look out to that sea nearly a hundred times now." Omnipresent and evidently all knowing, Gerda smirked and Elsa couldn't help but flush before she cleared her throat and nodded.

"Perhaps that would be nice. Thank you." Standing, Elsa kissed her son goodbye for the moment before Gerda picked him up and informed a servant to begin the woman's bath as well as bring her a cup of tea while she waited by the windows. Now that it was noticeable, Elsa didn't steal glances from the table anymore, but stood at the window and gazed out to the sea.

Just hours from the harbor, Anna stood atop the deck of the ship and beamed with each passing mile that took her closer to the kingdom she spent half her life in. Why her husband had so quickly decided to request Elsa grant them permission to sail and live in Arendelle, she couldn't figure out, but she knew better than to question such an extraordinary blessing.

She was finally returning home, but more importantly, to Elsa. It had been years since she heard anything from the blonde, but she knew ruling an entire kingdom must have put so much strain on Elsa. Especially alone after hearing through Hans' family that Elsa's husband had passed and furthermore she now had a baby nephew named so sweetly. Anna knew her sister did always favor their father. She was elated for Elsa, this was true, but she still couldn't shake the feeling of hurt even weeks later for not receiving anything from the Queen for years. Not a single reply to any of the letters she gave to a servant to send out. Yet, she refused to dwell on the past for long or question Elsa's behavior seeing all the woman had gone through. Bringing up the past would only harm their brittle relationship and she vowed, then and there, to only look ahead to what great times await the family when she finally steps onto Arendelle land.

 **XxX**

 **A/N: I had fun writing this so I hope you guys enjoyed reading. I do hope you'll lend me some of your thoughts on it. Critique, concerns, and comments are always welcome :) thanks guys!**


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